Being thin is considered "beautiful" in most societies, which is unfortunate and part of the reason so many women become anorexic. Of course, anorexia can affect both women and men, but mostly women are affected. The media is partially responsible as well simply because only super thin women appear in advertisements. As a result, women frequently feel like they must look as thin as the women in advertisements who have frequently been airbrushed to appear "perfect."

The problem is that being super thin is not what the body was meant to be. Most women cannot possibly become this thin due to their genetics and biology. The problem is that women desire to have one shape while their body is a different shape. This can create serious psychological problems and other problems like anorexia. Certain industries such as acting, modeling, gymnastics, wrestling, figure skating, running, and others put serious stress on individuals to be thing and strong. It's no wonder so many individuals become anorexic as a result.

There are psychological issues that may play a role in anorexia as well. That includes poor body image, low self esteem, depression, perfectionism, physical abuse, need for control, ineffectiveness, avoidance of conflict, sexual abuse, rigid thought patterns, and the like.

The family environment may also play a role in anorexia. For example, families who are extremely rigid, overprotective, or don't allow individuals to have their own space are more likely to suffer from anorexia. In these instances young girls, or even young boys, may become anorexic in order to have control in some area of their life and exert their independence. Similarly, families where physical or sexual abuse occur or families who openly criticize a child's shape or weight may find the child exerts their self control through anorexia.

There appears to be a genetic role in anorexia as well. In fact, individuals whose relatives have been anorexic are eight times more likely to develop this disorder. There is no exact genetic factor that plays into the disorder; however it appears that there is one.

Anorexia causes are very varied and each person affected has very personal reasons. That's why there is no one way to protect women, or even men, from becoming anorexic. The best thing to do is to be supportive and everyone, no matter their weight. When someone exercises too much or diets too much they should not be commended on this behavior but rather talked to about why they feel they must be a certain size. Psychological reasons frequently come into play with anorexia and they are important to address.




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